EP2138078B2 - Water tank and connectable separately composed filter cartridge connection element - Google Patents

Abstract

Water tank (1) for automatic beverage machines such as coffee machines, water preparation appliances comprises filter cartridge connection apparatus (6) which is formed separately from the water tank is provided, where the filter cartridge connection apparatus having fixing unit for fixing the connection apparatus in the water tank such that it is fixed once and then can no longer be detached without being destroyed. The fixing means form an adhesive connection with the surface of the tank and/or of the connection element. The fixing unit comprises a barb-like structure and cutting ring. In the tank, tank-side connecting element (4, 5) for interacting with fixing unit is provided on the filter cartridge connection element, the filter cartridge connection element is connected to the tank in the region of a water outlet (3). An independent claim is included for filter cartridge connection apparatus for connection of a filter cartridge in the interior of a water tank comprising connection apparatus (6) is in the form of a component which is separate from the water tank and has fixing unit for fixing the connection apparatus in the water tank such that it is fixed once and then can no longer be detached without being destroyed.

Description

The present invention relates to a water tank and a filter cartridge connecting element connectable therewith according to the preambles of claims 1 and 12.

State of the art

For the treatment of raw water preferably originating from water supply systems, the use of filter systems is known. For not connected to a water pipe system devices or filter devices, the use of a water tank for storing the reprocessed pipe water is known.

The document EP 1 340 442 shows such a filter system.

Devices can e.g. Be any beverage preparation machines, such as coffee, tea or drinking water treatment machines. Filter devices may e.g. Table filter cans or the same. For both a suction operation as well as a gravimetric operation is basically possible. In the suction mode, preferably, a suction device, such as e.g. a pump provided. In gravimetric operation, the raw water to be filtered is passed by gravity, preferably from a first vessel to a second vessel located underneath, e.g. each can be a tank.

The quality of the raw water itself is important for the quality of the treated water, but also the quality of the raw water itself. Depending on this raw water quality and the respective application, the raw water treatment can sometimes be massive in composition, concentration and / or mode of action vary. To ensure that only the operationally provided water treatment means can be used for the particular application, a filter cartridge connection device can be provided on the tank, which fits exactly to a specific, complementary connection structure of a filter cartridge side tank connection element.

task

The present invention has for its object to improve a water tank and provided for the water tank filter cartridge connection device according to the introductory prior art.

The solution of this problem is based on the preambles of claims 1 and 12, by their characterizing features.

The features cited in the dependent claims advantageous embodiments and developments of the invention are possible.

Accordingly, in a first aspect, the present invention relates to a water tank according to the preamble of claim 1.

The no longer destructively releasable fixation refers to normal operating connection loads, as they occur when inserting and changing filter cartridges. A re-separation of the once so combined combination of filter cartridge connection device and water tank should hereby be reliably prevented under such operating conditions. But also a disassembly using a tool, such as a screwdriver or pliers, these disposable fixatives are at least in the context of a not designed for destruction exchange attempt to resist.

The use of such fixatives, which are also referred to below as disposable fixative, has the advantage that it can provide manipulation protection for a well-defined interface between the water tank and the water treatment means provided for the treatment of the raw water, the interface e.g. can be formed by the two complementary to each other structures of the tank-side filter cartridge connection device and an associated, cartridge side filter tank element.

The disposable fixative thus reliably prevent accidental removal of the filter cartridge tank connection element when changing a filter cartridge. However, it also prevents both unwanted and deliberate manipulation at the interface between the water tank and filter cartridge, so that only those filter cartridges can be used, which are also provided by the tank manufacturer.

Under filter means according to the invention means for treating the water coming into contact with it. In addition to means for the withdrawal of possibly unwanted substances contained in the water to be treated, this should include in particular also means for its enrichment.

A filter cartridge according to the invention is understood to mean a filter-containing housing which has a mechanical connection structure for connection to a filter cartridge connection device.

According to the invention, a filter cartridge connection device is understood to mean a body produced separately from the water tank and preferably sealably connectable to it, which has a connection structure that is complementary to a connection structure of a filter cartridge.

In one possible embodiment the fixing agent with the surface of the tank and / or the connecting element form an adhesive bond.

Under an adhesive bond according to the invention, in the sense of the definition Duden (liable to hang), a two separate parts firmly interconnecting compound understood that under normal operating conditions (regularly use filter cartridges and remove again) is permanently stable. Due to its intrinsic mode of action, such an adhesive bond differs both from a screw connection and from a clamp connection which "screw" its fixing effect precisely out of its described effects, such as screwing or the like, or "clamping" in the sense of squeezing.

According to the invention, the fixing means are designed so that they have the surface of the tank and / or the connection element structurally changing and / or damaging means, in particular structures. As a result, these disposable fixing means may, as it were, settle in the surface of the tank and / or on a receiving element formed on it, in particular claws, e.g. resist hack shaped. The same applies mutatis mutandis to a connection with the filter cartridge connection element or a receiving element formed on it.

In a further preferred embodiment, the fixing means may also form a press connection between the surface of the water tank and / or the connection device, possibly also in combination with the above-described, the surface of one or both elements to be connected having damaging structures embodiment. For example, for this purpose, a multi-layered structure may be provided, of which one layer forms part of the surface of the filter cartridge connecting device, another part is a disposable fixing agent and a third layer is a surface area assigned to the tank or a corresponding receiving element. If the distance between the surface of the filter cartridge connecting device and the surface of the water tank is smaller than a disposable fixing means arranged between the two, all three are pressed against one another at the respective contact points and can thus form a corresponding press connection, in particular under the above-described structural change the relevant surface areas of the two parts to be joined together.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the fixing means may include leaflet-shaped insertion and / or insertion elements, which may be prepared for preparing the connection of the filter cartridge connection device with the tank in and / or on a suitably trained recording preparatory to after the assembly of the filter cartridges Connection device with the tank these preferably no longer detachable from each other again firmly connected to each other.

In a modified embodiment thereof, the fixing means can also be formed, for example, in the form of a closed or open cutting ring, which allows insertion or sliding in one direction, and a movement in the opposite direction a cutting and / or clawing effect caused by snagging on the surface or a cutting into the surface of the counter-element in question. An element effecting this cutting effect can be designed to be radially inwardly pointing and / or radially outward-acting. For this purpose, for example, a single, in the circumferential course possibly divided element with each different orientation can be formed. However, embodiments are also conceivable in which two or more, preferably separately formed cutting elements are provided, which are oriented in at least one of the two opposite directions, radially inwardly or radially outwardly. Conceivable, however, are embodiments in which two or more cutting elements in the same direction, radially inwardly and / or radially outwardly aligned, are formed. Further advantageous may be when a tankseitiges Connecting element is provided for interaction with the fixing means. Such a, for example, relatively easy in the manufacture of the tank can be molded onto this and represents an easy-to-reach connection option. Another advantage of such a tank-side connecting element can lie in a specifically specifiable mechanical stability, on the one hand withstand the normal operating load by inserting and removing a filter cartridge when their change over the entire operating period of the tank reliably away, but on the other hand breaks off in an improper manipulation attempt, for example, so as to ensure that the filter cartridge connection device originally used in the water tank can not be easily replaced by another , Analogously, the same function and effect may have a further advantageously formed on the filter cartridge connecting device, corresponding connecting element.

In a further preferred embodiment, the filter cartridge connection device may be connected to the tank in the region of the water outlet of the tank. This has the advantage that the raw water in the tank can be led directly out of the tank after passing through the filter section.

In this case, it is particularly advantageous if a sealing structure is provided which forms a seal between the tank and the filter cartridge connection device and / or between it and the filter cartridge.

Further advantageous may be when a coding structure is provided. These can also be formed either between the tank and the filter cartridge connection element, but particularly preferably on the filter cartridge connection device, so that only match encoded filter cartridges can be used on it.

In addition, the present invention also relates to a connection device for connecting a filter cartridge inside a water tank, wherein the connection device is designed as a separate component from the water tank and fixing means for one-time and then no longer destructively releasable fixation of the connection device in the water tank.

Depending on the embodiment, these fixing means may have one or more of the features of the fixing means described above for a filter cartridge connection device provided for connection to a water tank. The provision of such a filter cartridge connection device provided for basic equipment and / or retrofitting of a water tank has e.g. the advantage that a single form of a tank with different standard connections of different cartridge-side coding structures is modular buildable. This makes it possible to use a single injection molding tool for producing a water tank a whole range of different applications with specially provided for this purpose water filter cartridges, which can be ensured that only the intended purpose for the particular water filter cartridge fits into the relevant water tank and thus manipulation possibilities can be reliably prevented.

The applications may e.g. can be distinguished in terms of the quality of the supplied water, but they can also be differentiated in terms of the devices in which the water filter cartridges are used, for example, to meet different quality requirements for the reprocessed by the filter cartridge water. Another economic advantage lies in the reduced manufacturing and / or logistics costs of a water tank manufacturer, which may possibly supply different equipment manufacturers with specified to the respective device requirements tanks, the water tank per se, however, may always have the same shape. For example, the device manufacturer may use an exclusive filter that can be combined by the features of the filter cartridge connection device according to the invention in an exclusive manner encoded with a standard tank.

Brief Description:

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be explained in more detail with reference to the following description of the figures.

Figur 1

beispielhaft und schematische eine perspektivische Draufsicht auf einen Wassertank und eine damit verbindbare Filterpatronen-Anschlussvorrichtung mit darin eingesetzter Filterpatrone,

Figur 2

eine Unteransicht auf ein Filterpatronen- Anschlussvorrichtung und eine darin eingesetzte Filterpatrone,

Figur 3

beispielhaft eine perspektivische Ansicht einer Filterpatronen-Anschlussvorrichtung sowie daran angeordneter Fixiermittel,

Figur 4

beispielhaft und schematisch eine Schnittdarstellung durch einen Wassertank mit daran fixierter Filterpatronen-Anschlussvorrichtung und einer darin eingesetzten Filterpatrone und

Figur 5

schematisch in perspektivischer Ansicht ein beispielhaftes Fixiermittel zur Festsetzung der Filterpatronen-Anschlussvorrichtung am Wassertank.

Show it:

FIG. 1

by way of example and diagrammatically, a perspective top view of a water tank and a filter cartridge connection device connectable therewith with a filter cartridge inserted therein;

FIG. 2

a bottom view of a filter cartridge connecting device and a filter cartridge inserted therein,

FIG. 3

by way of example a perspective view of a filter cartridge connection device and fixing means arranged thereon,

FIG. 4

by way of example and schematically a sectional view through a water tank with a filter cartridge connection device fixed thereto and a filter cartridge inserted therein;

FIG. 5

schematically in perspective view an exemplary fixing means for fixing the filter cartridge connection device to the water tank.

Accordingly, the shows Fig. 1 schematically and by way of example a part of a water tank 1 formed in the bottom 2 Tankauslass 3, around the visible three tank-side connecting elements 4 are arranged as an example circular, for example by injection to the tank bottom. Here, by way of example, these connecting elements are provided in the manner of a wing as a complementary structure to further pocket-shaped connecting elements formed on a filter cartridge connecting device 6 to be fixedly connected to the tank.

These pocket-shaped connecting elements 5 of the filter cartridge connecting device 6 are, likewise by way of example, connected to one another via an annular body 7. Between this body 7 and the tank bottom, a sealing means 8 is provided, which can be inserted, for example, as an O-ring in a possibly provided groove ( Fig. 2 .) For a simple installation, a reliable seal between the interior of the tank 1 containing raw water and the outlet of the water tank separated therefrom by the filter cartridge connection device 6 and a filter cartridge 9 inserted therein is possible.

According to the invention fixing means 10 are provided for fixing the filter cartridge connection device 6 on the water tank 1, which are designed so that the filter cartridge connection device destructive free is no longer detachable from the tank. These fixing means are also referred to below as disposable fixing means 10, are formed in the form of leaflets in the embodiment shown here by way of example and inserted into the pockets 11 of the connecting element 5. When attaching the filter cartridge connection device 6 on the tank-side connecting elements 4, these dig in with the type of barbs and from its surface wing-shaped outwardly standing claw elements 12 in each of them facing surface of the tank-side connecting element 4 or, the pocket 11 of the connecting element 5 of the filter cartridge connecting device 6 that they cause a permanent adhesive bond with this in the sense of hooking and clinging of the respective surfaces together. A damage-free replacement of the filter cartridge connection device 6 from the tank 1 or of its connecting elements 4 is thereby no longer possible.

Thus, a regular replacement of the filter cartridges to be used 9 can be ensured easily and reliably without loosening the connection between the water tank and filter cartridge connection device over the operating life of the water tank.

Furthermore, it can also be ensured that no manipulations are possible by an exchange of a once inserted filter cartridge connection device by another.

The presentation of the Fig. 3 shows the filter cartridge connection device with their pocket-shaped connecting elements 5 easily inserted disposable fixation. This may be, for example, the mounting state of the filter cartridge connection device before the tank is equipped with it by sliding. When sliding the filter cartridge connecting device 6 on the connecting elements 4 of the tank 1, the claw elements 12 of the disposable fixation means 10 dig into both the respective surface areas of the filter cartridge connection device 6 inside the pocket-shaped connecting elements 5 as well as with the surfaces facing them Plugging of the pockets 11 enclosed, tank-side connecting elements. 4

After attaching the Filterpatronen- connecting device to the tank are all essential for the connection of these two parts together elements inside the pockets 11 and are thus protected at least in the context of a non-destructive material manipulation ( Fig. 4 ).

In the Fig. 4 is an example and schematically shown a sectional view through a tank, which is provided with a correspondingly plugged filter cartridge connection device and fixed by means of inventive disposable fixation means 10.

In a modified embodiment, the multiple here as a single, pocket-shaped connecting elements 5 may be formed as an at least partially encircling element, possibly with intervening interruptions, in which instead of the previously described, leaflet-shaped disposable fixer 10, an embodiment as closed or interrupted trained cutting rings 10 can be used. In this embodiment, the Fig. 4 Accordingly, again show a corresponding sectional view in which the position 10 then represents the cutting ring 10. This may comprise cutting means, which are formed either circumferentially continuous or interrupted, and / or mutatis mutandis according to the form of claw elements 12 cutting means of the leaflet-shaped connecting elements 4. These cutting means may optionally be directed radially inwardly and / or radially directed outwards, they may, if necessary also multiple and multiple parts, both radially inwardly and radially outwardly formed.

In the filter cartridge connection device 6, a filter cartridge 9 is used, which has a coding structure 14 which is complementary to a coding structure 13 formed on the filter cartridge connection device 6 by way of example as a hexagon ( Fig. 2 ). The one-way fixation means 10 according to the invention, shown in the form of a platelet, having claw elements 12, is shown in an enlarged view by way of example in FIG Fig. 5 shown. Herein, for example, a slight rounding of the leaflet-shaped body 10 is shown via a body axis 15, which could serve, for example, to adapt to the circular arc shape, by the four tank-side connecting elements 4 is formed, of which only 3 in the Fig. 1 are shown visible. However, a further mode of operation of this slight rounding off can also be, for example, a fixing, tensioning action when inserting these leaflet-shaped disposable fixing means into the pocket-shaped connecting elements 5, so that they can not fall out of it during or after the assembly process.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

water tank

2

ground

3

tank outlet

4

connecting element

5

connecting element

6

Filter cartridge connection device

7

body

8th

sealant

9

filter cartridge

10

Disposable fixative

11

bag

12

gripping element

13

coding structure

14

coding structure

15

body axis

Claims (12)

1. Water tank (1), in particular for automatic beverage machines, such as coffee machines, water preparation appliances or the like, where a filter cartridge connecting device (6) is provided, which is designed to be separate from the water tank, said filter cartridge connecting device comprising fixing means (10) for fixing the connecting device in the water tank such that it is fixed once and then can no longer be detached without being destroyed, characterised in that the fixing means (10) comprise structures (18) which structurally damage the surface of the tank and/or of the connecting element.
2. Water tank according to claim 1, characterised in that the fixing means (10) form an adhesive connection with the surface of the tank (1) and/or of the connecting element (6).
3. Water tank according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the fixing means form a press-fit connection between the surface of the tank and/or of the connecting element.
4. Water tank according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the fixing means (10) have a barb-like structure (12).
5. Water tank according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the fixing means (10) comprise a cutting ring (10).
6. Water tank according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the fixing means (10) comprise leaf-like Insert and/or inlay elements.
7. Water tank according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a tank-side connecting element (4) for interacting with the fixing means (10) is provided.
8. Water tank according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a connecting element (5) for interacting with fixing means (10) is provided on the filter cartridge connecting element (6).
9. Water tank according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the filter cartridge connecting element is connected to the tank in the region of a water outlet (3).
10. Water tank according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a sealing structure (8) is provided.
11. Water tank according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a coding structure (13, 14) is provided.
12. Filter cartridge connecting device (6) for connecting a filter cartridge in the interior of a water tank (1), characterised in that the connecting device (6) is designed as a component which is separate from the water tank and comprises fixing means (10), which comprise structures (18) that structurally damage the surface of the tank and/or of the connecting element, for fixing the connecting device in the water tank such that it is fixed once and then can no longer be detached without being destroyed.

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